题目内容

Questions 25 to 30 are based on the following passage.【1】Variety is the spice of language. The words listed in this book are not intended to replace those that most people use most of the time. Rather, they are variations on the theme. We tend to use the same old words over and over again, to limit our powers of expression by limiting our vocabulary. There is nothing wrong with the “old words”, but why not enhance your speech and writing by learning to use new ones from time to time as alternatives?【2】How often have you spoke of having an accident? Why not use the alternative mishap (小事故) once in a while? Everyone talks of the usual thing to do or expect. Might not one, to enrich his speech, speak of the customary thing? Or why not occasionally describe a situation as aggravated instead of worsened?【3】Don’t throw away the “old words”. Vary them with the “new words”. English is an especially rich language, and often there are delicate shades of difference between two words that are generally regarded as equivalent or synonymous. Thus, a mishap is not merely an accident; it is an unfortunate accident. (There can be fortunate accidents, like bumping into an old friend you haven’t seen for years and whose address you’ve lost.) So, in using mishap instead of accident, you must be sure of the distinction. Again, you’d never say “as customary” rather than “as usual”, because the latter phrase has become art of the language. But wouldn’t it sometimes be pleasant and perhaps more interesting to describe a kind act by someone as having been done with his customary rather than his usual thoughtfulness.【4】No doubt a good many words in the list will be familiar to you, but do you use them, or do they remain the “property” of others? They are included to introduce variety, and, more often than not, subtle shades of meaning into your speech and writing. Try to make these words your own, as companions or friendly rivals of the ones you have managed with in the past. Let them compete, and make your language all the richer.【5】Many words have more than one meaning. In such cases, I have given the meaning or meanings most likely to be used in everyday speech, omitting the rest. As an example, the word docile means not only “easily led” or “manageable”, but also “easily taught” or “teachable”. (Docile comes from the Latin docilis, whose first meaning is “teachable”) In this book, only the meaning “easy to manage or lead” is given, because the other use “teachable” is very rare in everyday English usage. Or take ghastly, which means “ghostlike” as well as “horrible, dreadful” (as in a ghastly accident or a ghastly mistake). The first meaning is sufficiently rare, for the purposes of this book, to warrant omission.Most people are most likely to confine themselves to the words they always use, which will _______().

A. narrow down their mind
B. distract them from what they are learning
C. restrict their emotions
D. affect their expression ability

查看答案
更多问题

Questions 7 to 12 are based on the following passage.【1】Reaching new peaks of popularity in North America is Iceberg Water, which is harvested from icebergs off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.【2】Arthur von Wiesenberger, who carries the title Water Master, is one of the few wa­ter critics in North America. As a boy, he spent time in the larger cities of Italy, France and Switzerland, where bottled water is consumed daily. Even then, he kept a water journal, noting the brands he liked best. "My dog could tell the difference between bot­tled and tap water," he says.【3】But is plain tap water all that bad? Not at all. In fact, New York's municipal water for more than a century was called the champagne of tap water and until recently consid­ered among the best in the world in terms of both taste and purity. Similarly, a magazine in England found that tap water from the Thames River tasted better than several leading brands of bottled water that were 400 times more expensive.【4】Nevertheless, soft-drink companies view bottled water as the next battle–ground for market share - this despite the fact that over 25 percent of bottled water comes from tap water: PepsiCo's Aquafina and Coca-Cola's Dasani are both purified tap water rather than spring water.【5】As diners thirst for leading brands, bottlers and restaurateurs salivate(垂涎)over the profits. A restaurant's typical mark-up on wine is 100 to 150 percent, whereas on bottled water it's often 300 to 500 percent. But since water is much cheaper than wine, and many of the fancier brands aren't available in stores, most diners don't notice or care.【6】As a result, some restaurants are turning up the pressure to sell bottled water. Ac­cording to an article in The Wall Street Journal, some of the more shameless tactics in­clude placing attractive bottles on the table for a visual sell, listing brands on the menu without prices, and pouring bottled water without even asking the diners if they want it.【7】Regardless of how it's sold, the popularity of bottled water taps into our desire for better health, our wish to appear cultivated, and even a longing for lost purity.As a Water Master, Arthur von Wiesenberger _______().

A. is a well-known water critic born in Canada
B. thinks the best water comes from North America
C. developed an interest in water since his childhood
D. offered bottled water to his dog every day

Questions 13 to 18 are based on this passage.【1】The question of whether our government should promote science and technology or the liberal arts in higher education isn’t an either/or proposition(命题),although the current emphasis on preparing young Americans for STEM(science, technology, engineering, maths)-related fields can make it seem that way.【2】The latest congressional report acknowledges the critical importance of technical training, but also asserts that the study of the humanities(人文学科)and social sciences must remain central components of America’s educational system at all levels. Both are critical to producing citizens who can participate effectively in our democratic society, become innovative(创新的)leaders, and benefit from the spiritual enrichment that the reflection on the great ideas of mankind over time provides.【3】Parents and students who have invested heavily in higher education worry about graduates’ job prospects as technological advances and changes in domestic and global markets transform professions in ways that reduce wages and cut jobs. Under these circumstances, it’s natural to look for what may appear to be the most “practical” way out of the problem “Major in a subject designed to get you a job” seems the obvious answer to some, though this ignores the fact that many disciplines in the humanities characterized as “soft” often, in fact, lead to employment and success in the long run. Indeed, according to surveys, employers have expressed a preference for students who have received a broadly-based education that has taught them to write well, think critically, research creatively, and communicate easily.【4】Moreover, students should be prepared not just for their first job, but for their 4th and 5th jobs, as there’s little reason to doubt that people entering the workforce today will be called upon to play many different roles over the course of their careers. The ones who will do the best in this new environment will be those whose educations have prepared them to be flexible. The ability to draw upon every available tool and insight—picked up from science, arts, and technology—to solve the problems of the future, and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, will be helpful to them and the United States.What does the latest congressional report suggest____?

A. STEM-related subjects help students find jobs in the information society.
B. The humanities and STEM subjects should be given equal importance.
C. The liberal arts in higher education help enrich students’ spiritual life.
D. Higher education should be adjusted to the practical needs of society.

Which of the following is true?

A. 选我
B. 别选
C. 别选
D. 别选

Questions 7 to 12 are based on this passage.【1】Sustainable development is applied to just about everything from energy to clean water and economic growth, and as a result it has become difficult to question either the basic assumptions behind it or the way the concept is put to use. This is especially true in agriculture, where sustainable development is often taken as the sole measure of progress without a proper appreciation of historical and cultural perspectives.【2】To start with, it is important to remember that the nature of agriculture has changed markedly throughout history, and will continue to do so. Medieval agriculture in northern Europe fed, clothed and sheltered a predominantly rural society with a much lower population density than it is today. It had minimal effect on biodiversity, and any pollution it caused was typically localized. In terms of energy use and the nutrients captured in the product it was relatively inefficient.【3】Contrast this with farming since the start of the industrial revolution. Competition from overseas led farmers to specialize and increase yields. Throughout this period food became cheaper, safer and more reliable. However, these changes have also led to habitat loss and to diminishing biodiversity.【4】What’s more, demand for animal products in developing countries is growing so fast that meeting it will require an extra 300 million tons of grain a year by 2050. Yet the growth of cities and industry is reducing the amount of water available for agriculture in many regions.【5】All this means that agriculture in the 21st century will have to be very different from how it was in the 20th. This will require radical thinking. For example, we need to move away from the idea that traditional practices are inevitably more sustainable than new ones. We also need to abandon the notion that agriculture can be “zero impact”. The key will be to abandon the rather simple and static measures of sustainability, which center on the need to maintain production without increasing damage.【6】Instead we need a more dynamic interpretation, one that looks at the pros and cons (正反两方面) of all the various ways land is used. There are many different ways to measure agricultural performance besides food yield: energy use, environmental costs, water purity, carbon footprint and biodiversity. It is clear, for example, that the carbon of transporting tomatoes from Spain to the UK is less than that of producing them in the UK with additional heating and lighting. But we do not know whether lower carbon footprints will always be better for biodiversity.【7】What is crucial is recognizing that sustainable agriculture is not just about sustainable food production.题How do people often measure progress in agriculture____?

A. By its productivity.
By its sustainability.
C. By its impact on the environment.
D. By its contribution to economic growth.

答案查题题库